Conqueror Express

[Everardo Frost]

Thecalypso world was plunged into mourning on hearing the news that calypsonian Conqueror (Leroy Paul), 75, was killed on Thursday night after being struck by a car while he was attempting to cross Wrightson Road in Port of Spain.

Sugar Aloes was among the calypsonians who ran to Conqueror's assistance when the impact of the accident was heard, which brought the rehearsals to a sudden halt. Aloes said he was shocked when he saw it was Conqueror who had been hit and lying on the road. Aloes and other calypsonians, including Skatie, went to Conqueror's assistance.

"We heard a really loud noise and everything stopped. When I ran out on the road, I saw Conkie lying on the road. He had been dropped on the other side of the road and was crossing when the car picked him up. We remained with him until the ambulance came and he was responding to us talking to him right up to when we assisted the attendants to put him in the ambulance. This one is real sad. Conkie was a great calypsonian and sweet person," Aloes said.

Conqueror's long-time friend and fellow calypsonian, Brother Superior, said he is deeply saddened over the death of his dear friend who was more a brother than simply a friend. The two spent a lot of time together during the days they lived in New York.

"Ah shed a tear this morning. Conkie and me go way back. We were like brothers and people used to even take us for each other. Conkie and I used to share each other's clothes and also buy clothes for each other.

"I remember how we used to go to Carnegie Hall for shows. He was a foundation man in the Vintage Calypso movement. I will miss my friend. His "Trinidad (Webster's) Dictionary" is a timeless song and Conkie was the only person I ever saw perform Spoiler's classic "The Dumb Concert In Paris" as well as Spoiler. We will not see anyone like him in a hurry," Superior said.

Gary Cordner, who was a friend of Conqueror, also expressed shock and sadness, saying Conqueror was one of the first calypsonians he ever met personally and that he was one of his mentors. Cordner said Conqueror worked steadfastly to market calypso music wherever in the world he went and that he should have been given assistance in doing this.

"I met Conqueror as a youth because he and Valentino were from Debe and were my first mentors. Just two weeks ago I picked up Conkie on Duke Street where he had gone to check on Makandal Daaga and we were talking about how the powers-that-be don't recognise the contributions of the elder calypsonians. At any calypso show in Miami or New York Conkie would be there selling his CDs and those of other calypsonians. He only sold original CDs and made sure the calypsonians got their money," Cordner said.

Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Organisation public relations officer, Karega Mandela, said that the now defunct Freshwater Yankee Calypso Tent was named after one of Conqueror's songs. Mandela defined Conqueror as a first-class calypsonian that contributed to the artform on and off the stage.

"If you were in New York and had nowhere to stay just call Conkie and he would make room at his home for you. His home was a calypso house where many calypsonians found shelter. We have been hearing a lot of his music on radio today and although that is good, he should not have had to die for this to happen.

Conqueror began his career in the late 1950s and in the early 1960s joined the Revue, enjoying great success with "Webster's Dictionary" and "Woman And Money." About 40 years ago Conqueror left his job in the Public Service and migrated to the United States where he continued with his calypso career. He returned home several years ago and was until last year a member of the Vintage Calypso Tent. He was invited by the Revue to be a part of its line-up this year.

In appreciation for their generous and loyal support of CCF, Conquerors Circle members receive exclusive benefits based on their donor level, such as special recognition in donor listings; access to the Donor Lounge at ASCO Annual Meeting; express registration at the Annual Meeting; reserved seating at the Annual Meeting Opening and Plenary Sessions; and early access to housing registration for the Annual Meeting.

It would indeed be difficult for any American to try to express the sentiments he feels toward the Filipino people, toward the Filipino nation, when you come here, Mr. President, the first time since you have entered on your high office.

The history of our association as nations is more than intensely interesting. It is almost unique. That association began in the aftermath of a war. The Philippines were an innocent bystander. But because we had won the war, and in the fashion of the leisurely days of the nineteenth century, we found ourselves in possession of a new property in the far Pacific, we thought we should do something about it.

Now the inhabitants were not particularly happy with their new landlords, and we soon learned about Filipino courage. Aguinaldo led some very ragged, badly armed bands with no weapons and less food. He gave the American Army a very bad time, until he was captured--even then, let me add, by trickery.

Then the Moros were not highly contented, and some of the most lurid tales in American Army fighting history are the tales of the opposition of the Moros in Mindanao and in the Tawitawi to this new landlord that they had never heard about until that moment.

But by this time the Americans were growing up. They saw on all sides the need for schools, for better communications, for roads and for health facilities that had been neglected so long by the prior landlord. They were very apt pupils in the Philippines. Almost before we knew it, we saw that the Philippine people were ready to take their first definite experiments into self-government. And indeed, it was only a matter of a very few years until there was a law passed by our Congress in 1935 which gave them Commonwealth status, with independence promised definitely at the end of ten years.

By this time there was a great Philippine university, great hospitals, schools, cities--a civilization that was developing in these Islands with the American authorities and the Philippine authorities working cooperatively side by side.

Then came again the tragedy of war. Again Filipino faithfulness to their own ideals, the same ideals that we today so cherish--love of freedom, of justice, of independence--led them onto the battlefield. Although their Army was not yet prepared, the Filipino people resisted the conqueror with every means at hand.

At that moment, our President, lately a Governor, was elected to the high office of Philippines Senator. The conqueror found out that he was a very important man and called on him to surrender. He postponed the evil day for some months. When he could no longer postpone it, he took to the mountains as a guerrilla. The story of his courageous resistance--his unending resistance till victory was attained is in itself almost an historical novel.

Now, in the aftermath of this second war, the Philippines achieved true, full independence. They had the task again of lifting themselves out of the ruins of war. Again America and the Philippines were loyal allies in rebuilding roads, the buildings and the bridges, and restoring so far as possible the destruction wreaked upon them by their conquerors.

Now we see a flourishing civilization, an ally of whom we are indeed proud. More than that, one on whom we depend to stand with us as they have over these past decades, in defense of freedom, human liberty, dignity, justice and the right.

So in this brief sketch of history we come to the final statement of the evening. History has rolled on and you are here. You have come to visit us--a people that hold for your people a very tremendous affection and admiration.

Mr. President, you have sat at many dinners in Malacanang during your tour of duty there, and perhaps you will remember the verdant grass and the giant acacia trees on the lawn, and the gumamela and hibiscus almost in full bloom throughout the year, and just outside the door the Pasig River rushing to its rendezvous with the sea.

That is what is recalled here in this banquet which you have tendered so kindly to my humble person--and in a sense to my people. I am sure that on this occasion, while you have dined at many famous palaces and castles in the world, memory must have taken you back to the Malacanang-by-the-Pasig River. And I have no doubt that you miss two things up in Manila, the mysterious fragrances of the night flower which we call the dama de noche--the night flower. I am sure Mrs. Eisenhower remembers that because she is a lady of very fine taste. And by day, of course, the nine-hole golf course at the Malacanang Park.

But, my friends, it certainly touches my heart to have so many friends around this table. I feel here something more than the ordinary or the customary formalities that are afforded by dinners. I feel a sense of kinship between our two peoples which must have relationship through the awareness of the same experiences and sacrifices and ideals for which we have stood together.

And in that awareness, Mr. President, I would like to thank you--and Mrs. Garcia joins me in this and the members of my party--for this very splendid dinner that you have tendered in our honor and also for the very kind remarks that you have said about my little participation in the fight for freedom. And I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all this.

And, my friends, in token of the Filipino appreciation, affection and gratitude for the great services that President Eisenhower has given us during the formative years of our Philippine Republic, may I ask you to join me in offering him a Toast.

According to the point from which our view is taken, we may feel as much astonished at the extraordinary results of some great battles as at the want of results in others. We shall dwell for a moment on the nature of the effect of a great victory.

Three things may easily be distinguished here: the effect upon the instrument itself, that is, upon the Generals and their Armies; the effect upon the States interested in the War; and the particular result of these effects as manifested in the subsequent course of the campaign.

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